The homeostasis maintenance of lung epithelial cells in asthma

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K08211
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 53030:Respiratory medicine-related
• Research Institution: International University of Health and Welfare
• Principal Investigator: Hirose Koichi 国際医療福祉大学, 医学部, 主任教授 (90400887)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 須藤 明 千葉大学, 大学院医学研究院, 准教授 (50447306) ; 横田 雅也 千葉大学, 医学部附属病院, 助教 (70721950)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 気管支喘息 / IL-18 / 気道上皮細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Asthma is a chronic allergic inflammatory disease in the airway, in which Th2 cells and their cytokines play a role. Recently, not only Th2 cells but also airway epithelial cells have a key role in the development of allergic airway inflammation. In this experiment, we tried to clarify the mechanisms by which homeostasis of airway epithelial cells are maintained.
Lung epithelial cells were isolated from the mice administered PBS or house dust mite(HDM) intratracyally and then subjected for RNA sequence analysis. We found out that lung epithelial cells isolated from HDM administered mice express significantly higher levels of IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) and IL-18 receptor binding protein (IL-18RB) compared with those from PBS administered mice. These results suggest that IL-18 signal plays a key role in maintaining the homeostasis of lung epithelial cells.

Free Research Field

免疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

気管支喘息は人口の約6％が罹患する呼吸器疾患である。近年では吸入ステロイド薬に加えて抗体治療薬の登場により、喘息症状のコントロールは各段に向上したが依然として対症療法を継続しているに過ぎない。本研究はアレルギー性気道炎症における気道上皮細胞の役割に着目し、初めてIL-18シグナルがその恒常性維持機構に関与することを見出した。本研究は気管支喘息の発症メカニズムの解明のみならず、発症した喘息を治癒に導く可能性も秘めたものと考える。